Problems that have cropped up with the intensification of prawn culture, e.g. discharge of pesticides from grow-out ponds, are highlighted. Other conflicts such as the conversion of mangroves and other estuaries, considered nursery grounds of various marine fauna including P. monodon, into fishponds; over exploitation of wild spawn with no stock assessment data; and indiscriminate throwing away of other prawn and finfishfry from wild collections in favor of P. monodon f r y could adversely affect the ecology of mangroves and other marine ecosystems.